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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23401060">Seconds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperlighthouse/pseuds/paperlighthouse'>paperlighthouse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TIME [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Futuristic, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, cw: needles, cw: tattoos, drug use tag for a briefly mentioned OC but just to be safe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:07:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23401060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperlighthouse/pseuds/paperlighthouse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“With Hyunjin. We messed up on an observation. You know the rest.”</p><p>Seungmin chokes, “Maybe I’ll end up like that too.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Seungmin &amp; Seo Changbin, Kim Seungmin/Seo Changbin, implied</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TIME [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Seconds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/singsungie/gifts">singsungie</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>greeting~ i hope you are safe wherever you are in the world.</p><p>this fic is a scene that happens in the first part of the TIME series in "Ticking Time Away", so read that first~ (or don't up to u really)</p><p> </p><p>(daisy, i hope u enjoy lol)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The walk back is silent. Seungmin watches the stars through the clear metal of the space bound ship. Maybe stares is a better word since nothing is moving. He briefly contemplates the feeling of space sucking the oxygen out of your lungs like a pet dog that doesn’t know how to hunt for itself. The glass-like material ends, and the ever stretching walls of the ship stretch before him. Does Changbin feel what he’s feeling now? Like he wants the universe to swallow him whole? Tear him apart atom by atom, or cell by cell, whichever one was more painful?</p><p>Jisung waits for them outside the rifting room, covers a yawn with the back of his hand. He motions them over like they aren’t already walking to him, well, Chris. The library. To burn their library.</p><p>The library is on Earth stuck in a loop of the same week for eternity. Apparently, to Writers that meant an opportunity. Because if there was no real consequence, then anything was up for grabs. Seungmin had trained there to practice rift walking and observing, Changbin had trained there, he bet Hyunjin and even Chris had trained there too. Jisung too, he’s reminded as the man holds the door open for them. Though he’s frailer now, thin, red eyed. On his way to becoming a Writer.</p><p>“Have you ever been punished?” Seungmin murmurs lowly. It’s taboo to ask about that sort of thing, but he might as well now. Besides, he can’t feel his toes, or his fingers, or his lips. Some voice outside of himself says he’s losing it. He can’t care enough to answer back.</p><p>“Once. When…” Changbin’s voice breaks. He clears it. They’re waiting for Chan. He went to the bathroom, Jisung said as he went to look for him with tense shoulders. “When…” He tries again.</p><p>“It’s okay, Hyung.” He whispers. They aren’t even looking at each other. Just staring at the spaces in front of them. Well, Seungmin is. Changbin could be seeing something else. Someone else.</p><p>“With Hyunjin. We messed up on an observation. You know the rest.”</p><p>He’s heard about it. Heard about Hyunjin going way off script, struggling to give CPR to a man who was trying to overdose. Heard about Changbin having to pin Hyunjin to a grimey alley wall just to pry a needle from his clenched hands. Heard Hyunjin screaming in a hoarse voice from the infirmary till it dyed out like a smothered flame. Heard more the next day when he didn’t see Changbin at breakfast.</p><p>Seungmin chokes, “Maybe I’ll end up like that too.”</p><p>Changbin looks at him, the last shreds of his empathy shining through brightly. Seungmin’s beginning to understand why wipes exist, and why partner switches are common. When Changbin looks this ripped apart, Seungmin breathes in the moment and questiosn why he thought he wasn’t damaged. What separated himself from Changbin, him from Hyunjin, Hyunjin from anyone in their line of work?</p><p>Chan walks in and Jisung doesn’t follow him. He sits on his chair heavily. Sighs into his hands then pushes his hair back. Changin nor Seungmin comment on his red rimmed eyes when he tries to smile. “Okay… So-,” Chan messes through files on his desk and a stray pen rolls off the desk. He slams his palms down on the wood, “Fuck!”</p><p>Changbin exhales shakily under his breath. Seungmin can’t look.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>It’s silent.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>An automated voice on the edge of human prompts the Writer to “complete punishment.” Chan cuts it off short. He walks to the far wall and scans his identification tattoo on his wrist. He begins typing in the library’s coordinates, an unused date and time. He steps back and Changbin steps forward.</p><p>“Watches.”</p><p>Changbin undoes the device and sets it in Chan’s waiting hand. Seungmin follows him. He rolls his wrist in circles. It feels so much lighter without the gear. There’s even a faint tan line. He laughs.</p><p>A sound like knives against rusted metal crashes against his eardrums as a rift tears open. The stench of bleach pours across the cut.</p><p>Seungmin wrinkles his nose. He doesn’t like the smell, how it felt like it was burning the inside of his nose, and filling his throat. He doesn’t understand how Changbin said it was like coming home; something good.</p><p>But he also never really got to know Hyunjin. Changbin and Hyunjin were always busy wriggling their way out of practice, or discussing characters from “evidence” they “borrowed” from the library. Or looking to close for anyone to approach them. Never got to experience what "home" was to Changbin.</p><p>Chan double checks their uniforms for their blockers, and nods when he sees they both diligently wore them. Jisung still hasn’t come back.</p><p>Chan holds out a lighter. Changbin pinches it between three fingers, the bottom still resting in Chan’s palm. He squeezes and it draws itself into his fist. Seungmin stares at the back of his head.</p><p>Chan types into a small tablet. He doesn’t look at them.</p><p>Changbin walks through the hole in the universe. Seungmin watches the blurry form of his body and face through the warping of time. He steps forward.</p><p>“Careful.” Seungmin looks at Chan with wide eyes. The Writer doesn’t look up. Seungmin looks at his trembling fingers. He looks back at the rift.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p><i>Careful.</i> He tries on his tongue. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>A slippery feeling like algae coats his skin as he steps through.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://twitter.com/lunagoogie"> my twitter</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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